Ex cabbie: I fixed Chandlers hostage release

A former London cabbie has claimed he was the fixer who arranged the release of a British couple held by pirates in Somalia.

Released British couple Rachel and Paul Chandler outside the British Embassy in Nairobi (AFP)

Dahir Abdullahi Kadiye oversaw the transfer of hundreds of thousands of pounds to Paul and Rachel Chandler’s captors.

The 56-year-old, who divides his time between his family in Leytonstone, East London, and Somalia, said he went with a party of tribal elders to get the couple on Saturday after the final payment was made.

He said he was motivated to act because his children were ashamed of seeing footage of the couple on TV in Britain, adding: ‘I am excited about standing next to the Chandlers on TV. This will make my sons very happy.’

Mr Chandler, 60, and his wife, Rachel, 56, from Tunbridge Wells, were seized from their yacht off the Seychelles in October 2009.

Their captors threatened to kill them unless they were paid millions of pounds in ransom. The British government refused, saying it would not negotiate with pirates.

There was confusion last night over how much was paid to the kidnappers but reports said a £620,000 fund put together by Somalia’s UN-backed government was handed over.

Up to £300,000 was airdropped by a Kenyan pilot in June but the pirates reneged on a deal to free the couple.

Mr Kadiye, who describes himself as a businessman, said he became involved six months ago, because Britain had treated Somali refugees like himself well.

He claimed the couple were freed on ‘humanitarian grounds’ without any ransom being paid but the pirates said a final instalment of £186,000 was sent to them by electronic transfer.

Mr Kadiye, who also negotiated the release of Saudi supertanker the Sirius Star, said he ran a taxi firm in the Marble Arch area until two years ago.